U’khand: Tiger skins, bones seized in Haridwar; one arrested

The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has seized five tiger skins and bones in Haridwar, the police said on Monday. One poacher, a member of the notorious Bawaria gang, has been arrested while four others managed to escape.

According to forest officials, the tiger skins are five to six months old.(HT Photo)

The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has seized five tiger skins and bones in Haridwar, the police said on Monday. One poacher, a member of the notorious Bawaria gang, has been arrested while four others managed to escape.

According to forest officials, the tiger skins are five to six months old.

Police said Ram Chandra, 36, a resident of Bhatinda, Punjab, was arrested during the STF raid at Rwasan bridge, Shaympur on Sunday night. The tiger skins and bones, which were being transported in bags, were seized from his possession.

“Four other members of the gang escaped. The big cats were hunted in the Kotdwar-Najibabad stretch in twin states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The arrested accused belongs to the Bawariya gang. A case has been registered and we are trying to nab the other accused,” SHO (Shyampur) Mahesh Purval said.

According to the police, Chandra and his associates were scouting for possible buyers. During interrogation, he revealed that the tigers were first caught in a net and then were killed.